Question: Natural Inspiration

I love this quote! I think it’s because it reminds me of lavender fields in the south of France. I found myself recalling it weeks after I first read it and even throwing it into conversations. If there’s validity to it, then it means that God has put things in nature to engage us, to grab our attention, to send us signals, to communicate with us. So what is he trying to say to us through nature? Well, that’s where you come in; I don’t think one person can appropriately answer this question. I would love to hear your stories of how the creation has touched you in a spiritual sort of way.

Here’s my question that I invite you to respond to:

Have you ever had a spiritual experience in nature? Has nature caused that elusive moment of transcendence? Has some element in nature played a role in or inspired your praying? Has the Creator communicated to you through his creation?

Please feel free to leave your story in the comment section below. You should be able to do that completely anonymously (your email address will not be shown).

Allow me to leave you one of my favorite “naturally spiritual” experiences:

I don’t remember why, but I was in one of those deeply frustrated times of life (again!). You know, the times when nothing seems to go your way and you really question whether God is there at all! It was a Sunday evening, I happened to be attending a church near a beach in Rio de Janeiro. I couldn’t handle the worship because I was so ticked off with God. So, to get away from everyone and express my anger at the Almighty (just in case, he DID happen to be around), I actually walked out in the middle of the worship service and kept walking down to the beach. Since I was alone on this huge beach with loudly crashing waves, I seized this chance to actually YELL at God, with fists upraised and in the loudest voice I could muster. I strutted, and ranted, and even threw sand, if I remember….I told you I was frustrated!

After I wore myself out with my carrying on like a crazy man, I collapsed in the moist sand. In a few moments I began to sense what seemed to be God’s response…..where he seemed to want to say to me – “Take a look around you.”“What? What do you mean? What for? You’re not here! You’re never here when I need you!”“Take a look around…what do you see.”“I see stars…so what…millions of stars……and the ocean…the vast ocean that wraps around the entire earth…..and sand…sand…that is….(remembering Abraham) utterly…uncountable.”

In those few moments of reluctant and unwilling observation, my tense heart relaxed. I was standing in the midst of three of the most classic symbols of infinity and eternity that exists: STARS, SEA and SAND. Slowly my screaming turned into singing. My upraised fists turned into upraised hands of praise. My defiant strutting into jubilant dancing. He was alive and well. He was there. He was grand and glorious. Infinite and eternal. And certainly big enough to handle anything my little life could throw his way.